Automobile-locking means.



FRANK J. MGFARLA'N D.

OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. MoFAnnAivn, a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Portland, .county of Multnomah, State of Oregon,- vhave invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Antonio bile-Locking Means, of which the following is a specification.

The object o1 my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism to be combined with the steering column and post of an automobile, for so locking the steering gear as to render the machine inoperable,

in thc sense that it` cannot be properly guided, For example, my means are so designed that the front wheels of an auto may be turned against a curb of the street and then the steering post is locked in that position. ,Even where the machine is not set against a curb, the locking of thel steer` ing post in aposition not permitting the machine to be moved straight ahead, of course, renders it useless.

The means by which I attain my object are illustrated in the accompanying dravsrm ings, in which:

" Figure l is a transverse section taken through the steering column and post on a line l-l lof Fig. 2, and showing my means applied and adjusted to lock the steering post against rotation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; and

Figs. 3 and 4t are diagrammatic views of the locking bolt included in my mechanism, and of the means for projecting and retracting the bolt; the bolt being shown as projected in Fig. 3A and as retracted in Fig. 4.

a represents the steering column, and Z1 the steering post. On the steering column is shrunkY acollar c, provided with a series of circumferentially disposedA sockets for receiving. the bolt e; the latter is guided by a pin-and-slot arrangement as ishown at f. Thebolt, when unrestrained, is projected by a coil-.spring g, the latter being contained in a housing k; The left-end of the bolt e is provided with a slot j is a disk rotated 4"in the housin '7L by means of akey la. The

diskis rovi ed withv a pin j" which slides in the s ot t' of the bolt e. By revolving the disk j by means of the key 7i; the bolt e may be retracted against the spring g, or placed `in condition 4to be 'operated by the latter.

In the latter case the bolt e will be shot into the socket d, 'with which it is placed in. registration; and the slot-andpin arrangement f providing for such movement of the bolt.

The housing i is preferably slidably supy l ported in a guide-way l, provided by the collar m,shrunk on the steering column a. A transverse pin n is placed in the upper part of the guide-way Z to limit the for- Ward movement of the housing h. In the lower part of the guide-way is provided a recess o, the upper part of which is made with an inclined plane, as at p. When the bolt has been. retracted by means of the key, as described, the housing 7L may be moved to its lower position, indicated by the dotted outlines /t and by then turning the key so as to permit the spring 7L to act, the bolt is projected into the recess o` This arrangement is provided to prevent the serious accident of having the housing h thi-ovm upward by the jar of the vehicle so as to place the bolt in-registration with one oi' the sockets OZ, and thus render the steerA ing gear of, the vehicle inoperative.V By the described arrangement the' housing f1. is securely held. in its 'lower position. Nevertheless it may be readily placedin its locked position by forcibly moving up so as to place' the bolt in alinement with the sockets d. A 4plurality of the latter is provided on the collar c so that the steering post may be turned as convenient and deemed best by thc driver for rendering the machine tem` porarily non-usable by locking the steering post against rotation, as mentioned.

I claim:

l. The combination with the steering column and its post, of a collar rigidly secured on the steering post and provided with one or more sockets, circumferentially disposed,

a collar aiiiXed on the steering column, aV

housing mounted longitudinally slidable on said-co lar of the column, a spring-controlled bolt reciprocable in s aidhousing, key-oper ated means for retracting said bolt, said housing having a movement ,permit-tin the same to be so arranged as toiplace sai bolt a colla-r affixed on the steering column and provided With a longitudinal guide-Way, a housing mounted longitudinally slidable on said collar of the column, a spring-controlled boltreciprocable in said housing, key-operated means for reti-acting said bolt, said housing having a movement permitting the same to be so arranged as to place said bolt in and also out o. registration With the socket, and means for holding the housing against movement when so arranged that its bolt is out of registration with its socket.

3. The combination with the steering co1- umn and its post, of a collar `rigidly secured on the steering post and provided with one or more sockets,y circumferentially disposed, a collar affixed on the steering column and provided with a longitudinal Aguide-Way, a

housing mounted longitudinally slidable Ain said guide-way, a spring-controlled bol't reeiprocableI in said housing, key-operated means for' retracting said boit,v sind housing having a movement permitting the same to be so arranged as to place said bolt in and also out of registration with the socket, a bar at the upper end of said guide-way, and a recess on the steering column for ren ceiving the bolt and thereby hold the latter out of registration with its socket, such recess adapted topermit the bolt to be disengaged therefrom by the forcible'movement of the housing. i

FRANK J. M'CFARLAND. 

